US comic icon Archie dies saving gay friend

[bigtree]

Los Angeles (AFP) - US comic book character Archie Andrews will die this week taking a bullet intended for a gay friend, publishers said Monday, calling it a fitting turning point for the iconic brand.

In the new issue Wednesday of "Life with Archie," the famous red-head saves the life of newly-elected Senator Kevin Keller, introduced as the first openly gay character in the comic in 2010.

“The Death of Archie is the biggest story in Archie Comics history – and a major milestone for comics, period,” said Archie Comics publisher Jon Goldwater in a press release.

"Archie dies as he lived – a hero, representing the best in all of us" added the co-chairman of Archie Comics, the long-running comic book series best known for its wholesome all-American teenage characters.

read: http://news.yahoo.com/us-comic-icon-archie-dies-saving-gay-friend-004348553.html;_ylt=AwrSyCVSgsRTqjQAHzvQtDMD


The famous 73-year-old red-headed comic book character will die in Wednesday's installment of "Life with Archie" when he intervenes in an assassination attempt on senator Kevin Keller, Archie Comics' first openly gay character who is pushing for more gun control in Riverdale. Andrews' death was first announced in April and will mark the conclusion of the series that focuses on grown-up renditions of Andrews and his pals.

Andrews' final moments will be detailed in "Life with Archie" No. 36, while issue No. 37 will jump forward a year and focus on Riverdale honouring the legacy of their freckle-faced pal, who first appeared in comics in 1941 and went on to become a colorful icon of Americana and wholesomeness. Other incarnations of Andrews will continue to live on in other Archie Comics series.

"We wanted to not only grab people's attention but really show the heroic nature of the character," said Archie Comics publishers and co-CEO Jon Goldwater. "He's willing to literally die to save his friend, Kevin. Archie would have died to save any of his friends. I think Archie would've even died to save a stranger."

Andrew Wheeler, who writes about the comic book industry at ComicsAlliance.com, praised the way that Andrews will be killed off. He wrote on Monday that "Archie's sacrifice isn't just a moment of heroism; it offers an unambiguous condemnation of America's lax gun laws" and said that it's "not surprising to see Archie Comics tackling such a serious issue" because the publisher "doesn't shy away from risky ideas."

read: http://www.windsorstar.com/entertainment/Archie+Andrews+shot+saving+friend+Kevin+Keller+Life+with/10028232/story.html

[TlalocW]

1. Nothing to worry about

In a month, an African-American Archie in a suit of armor, Archie-Boy, a Cyborg Archie, and the Last Son of Riverdale will all appear in the comics.

TlalocW

[dembotoz]

2. i would prob read that issue

have not picked up an archie in years
too damn insipid

but i might read that issue.

wonder if i can see it online
would not want to take a potential copy from a fan.....

i do read the comic pages each and every day.
i guess they are my soaps.....


comic characters don't die often
Last i remember is Lisa Moore in Funky Winkerbean.

[bigtree]

3. I was a big fan in my youth

. . . I craved those mini-comic digests like a drug.

[Art_from_Ark]

5. The last character I remember dying in a comic strip

was some villain from Dick Tracy who escaped from a moon base and immediately became a freeze-dried corpse, back in 1967 or so.

[pipoman]

4. 73 and didn't look a day over 20....at least he had a full life

He looked so peaceful and natural...like he was only napping...

[Generic Other]

6. Did he marry Veronica?

Or Betty?

[Cha]

7. Archie, our hero! What a way to go with a statement on "America's lax gun laws.."

Archie asks Veronica to marry him and she says "Yes!"

mahalo bigtree

[Scuba]

8. Wondering just how Republicans will blame this on Obama.

[reddread]

9. not a Jim Starlin production?

what a lousy way to mourn your father's passing.
deaths in mainstream books have been exploited for some pretty poor reasons.
sales gimmicks not so bad as misguided attempts at death penalty enforcement,
ala X-Men. that trash sent me packing.
The foolish young kid they put in charge of Spider-Man, Gerry Conway took his
head WAY to far and right before mangling the title into utter rubbish, killed Gwen Stacy.
You might have been fooled into thinking the Green Goblin did it, or you might have noticed
how Spider-Man broke her neck, but it was Conway who destroyed the second best iteration
of Betty and Veronica, for no good reason, simply selfish hubris.
Starlin went on a rampage after his father's passing.
John Byrne, as always, was happy to piggyback the ideas of others and look cutting edge
at the phony grave of Superman.
Joe Simon was happy to enjoy the publicity of Captain America's fictional demise before his own.
Give me Bob Montana's luscious, sexy Betty and Veronica from the Sunday's of the 40's.
Who's Archie?